The art is replete with techniques for transforming the rotational output of a motor or other electromotive power source into desired brushing motions. Many techniques include a shaft as component of the drive train. The shaft may rotate, oscillate, or reciprocate. The shaft is coupled to a bristle holder. Most often, the bristle holder is driven by the shaft in a rotating or oscillating manner about an axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
These electric toothbrushes typically provide only a single brushing motion. While single brushing motions are beneficial, it believed that multi-motion electric toothbrushes can provide superior cleaning action. Further, there is a desire to combine the cleaning action provided by the bristles of a rotating or oscillating bristle holder with the cleaning action of bristles that only reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the electric toothbrush so as to more closely replicate a manual tooth brushing motion.